City Election Voting Guide 2017

The May 6th election is coming up soon and here’s why some of candidates have decided to entire local races. These answers were given to the Dallas Morning News from a carefully crafted questionnaire. Early voting starts Monday April 24.

Fill out your own ballot based on your address at Dallas Morning New’s handy voting guide.

Plano City Council, Place 6 – Mayor

Leilei “Lily” Bao

Lily told Dallas Morning News, “I am running for mayor to Keep Plano Suburban. Currently, Plano is at a crossroad. We can either continue down the road of rapidly increasing high-density housing (which is poor growth strategy), & continue to pander to the desires of a handful of well-connected out-of-town apartment developers. This surely will drive property values down, overcrowd our schools, and continue to increase traffic on already overburdened suburban streets. Alternately, we can preserve our suburban way of life which is why most Plano citizen-taxpayers moved here in the first place. We have strong, safe neighborhoods and exceptional schools. If we continue down the path to the failed idea of “Plano 3.0” Urbanization, that the current administration has promoted, we run the risk of losing everything that makes Plano a great place to live and raise a family…”

Harry LaRosiliere

“Serving as Mayor is the highest level of community service one can offer. It is a responsibility I take seriously because the safety and quality of life of our 275,000 residents are at stake. We are regional leaders in virtually every positive category. We have the lowest tax rate in the Metroplex, one of the safest cities in America and we have been recognized nationally for our great neighborhoods. I will continue to serve Plano with the same passion as I have for the past 23 years to ensure it is a city our residents are proud to call home,” Harry told the Dallas Morning News.

Bill Lisle III

Bill told the Dallas Morning News, “I care about how families are impacted by policies put in place by the current leadership and how they affect their individual freedoms. As the next Mayor of Plano I would reduce regulation on small business freeing them to thrive without government overly burdensome regulation. I am here to serve the people, listen to their concerns and preserve what attracted them to the City of Plano in the first place.”

Douglas Reeves (no response)

Plano City Council, Place 2

Ann Bacchus

“I bring a different and important view to the council. Most importantly, I bring diversity of thought and diversity of experiences, both professionally and demographically. This is more important than ever now, as our city continues to become more diverse and we look for ways to maintain our property values, culture, and status as one of the best cities in America.The second reason why voters should choose me is that I understand the history of Plano and what makes this city great (education, safety, amenities). I can help to bridge the gap between recent additions and our existing cultural excellence. (You will see examples of that in my civic involvement.)I also bring a one-on-one approach to civic duty. We live in a large town, but I like to maintain the small town ability to recognize our individual residents’ needs,” Ann told the Dallas Morning News.

Anthony Ricciardelli

Anthony told Dallas Morning News, “I’m running for City Council to ensure that my three-year-old son and all other children being raised in Plano today have the opportunity to grow up in a Plano every bit as great as the one in which I grew up.It is vital that Plano remain a suburban community focused on families – family-friendly neighborhoods and family values. I stand for protecting the Plano in which I grew up, while continuing to pursue opportunities for smart growth and growth that makes sense, such as bringing job-creating businesses to Plano. We must stop the overbuilding of apartments in Plano. I am the only candidate for Place 2 who has been endorsed by PlanoFuture.org in recognition of my commitment to keeping Plano suburban. I will also work to stem the rising tide of property taxes.I will focus on providing accountability, responsiveness, and transparency in Plano municipal government.”

Alfonso “Al” Valente

“I have worked on behalf of Plano in many ways through my past involvement. I now want to serve as an elected official on the City Council because I believe that Plano is at a strategic moment. There are many candidates who are running for office based on one issue and that issue (high-density housing) is important but there are many issues facing Plano such as growth, water, mobility, aging citizens, and mature areas that need revitalization.Like others, I want to ensure that Plano maintains its suburban atmosphere and that the schools have the support they need to continue to excel. I believe any additions made to the city should respect the lifestyle of those who already call Plano home. But I want to do this through collaboration and positive working relationships. Development in Plano isn’t going away as much as many of us wish that it would freeze. My job on the council would be to ensure that each development properly represents the character of the city,” Al told Dallas Morning News.

Plano City Council, Place 4

Edward “Ed” Acklin

“I am running because I do not believe that the current City Council is taking Plano in the right direction. I am better qualified because of my wide background and experience. My age and maturity is a major asset. I have attended the City Council Meetings and workshops for the last 11 months (with the exception of 4-5 meetings) learning about the Council and the issues it deals with,” Ed told Dallas Morning News.

Kayci Prince

Kayci told Dallas Morning News, “I’ve made the decision to run for Plano City council Place 4 because I’m passionate about ensuring that the next generation of Plano citizens have a vibrant place to work and call home. As a life-long Plano resident that works at a business in Plano, attends church in Plano and is now raising a family in Plano I provide a healthy balance of understanding and respecting what has made Plano great in the past and what will make Plano great in the future too. My extensive experience serving on different boards and commissions and volunteering in a variety of non-profits in our city has prepared me well to serve the citizens of Plano.”

Plano City Council, Place 8

David Downs

“I believe Plano is an incredible city that offers amazing opportunities for it’s citizens to live, work and play. I’ve seen the city grow up since I first moved here in 1972 and though it has signs of age here and there it also has a youthful energy and spirit toward the future. I feel it takes a candidate who understands the true nuances of City operations and governance as well as the relationships that exist with local and regional partners to provide the best leadership for our community. I have served the City through Board/Commissions and elected office for almost 8 years and have developed the understanding necessary to provide that leadership. The decisions made by council go far beyond a single issue. Our city has so much to offer now and can offer even more in the future but it takes a vision for what we CAN be versus a desire to be what we were in order to make that happen,” David told Dallas Morning News.

Stirling Morris

Told Dallas Morning News, “Plano is my home. Some people call a place home because that’s where they’ve always been, but my family and I deliberately chose Plano. We made the decision to settle here instead of any other city in DFW because we fell in love with Plano. At the end of a long day, there’s no better feeling than coming home to a place you love, a place you want to be, and a place that just makes you happy. And when we get right down to it, who doesn’t want to do everything possible to improve their home community?That’s why I’m running for City Council. There is so much to love about Plano, and I want to be on the ground, with my sleeves rolled up, helping to keep Plano beautiful and vibrant. I want to help our city be the best possible version of itself–a city in which all its citizens, from the elderly, to the young; the religious to non-religious; the immigrants and minorities–proudly call home…”

Rick Smith (no response)

Plano ISD, Place 1

Carissa Picard

“I am seeking Place 1 on the Board of Trustees because my son is a PISD student and, if elected, he will continue to be a PISD student for the duration of my term. Consequently, I have a vested interest in PISD school policies and budgetary priorities.Voters should choose me because I will bring a fresh perspective to the Board of Trustees.First, I am a voice that is needed on the Board. PISD is home to an incredibly diverse community and yet that same level of diversity does not exist on the Board of Trustees. I am a single, working mother who, despite being an attorney, is not wealthy because I have always put my family before my career (including taking care of a son born with special needs). As a result, I will be able to offer a practical perspective (based on personal experience) regarding the impact of school policies on our working families…” Carissa told Dallas Morning News.

Tammy Richards

Tammy told Dallas Morning News, “It has been an honor to serve the children and families of Plano ISD as a member of the Board of Trustees the last seven years. I am excited to announce that I am running for another term on the Plano ISD School Board. I know and love this community and would be honored to receive your support so that I can continue to serve the children, the families, the teachers, and the broader community of Plano ISD.Plano ISD is a vibrant, dynamic school district. I will work with my fellow trustees and our administration to provide the very best educational experience for all our children in all our schools and to be a careful steward of our tax dollars.I’ve lived in Plano for 29 years, and I’ve had children in Plano ISD schools for 16 years. My husband, Mike Douglass, is an engineering manager at Texas Instruments. Our daughter, Julia Douglass, is a Plano West and Texas A&M University graduate. Our son, Mark Douglass, is a recent Plano West graduate and a student at Texas A&M University.I have a vision of how we can continue to make our school district a model for other communities. I have worked with school systems across the nation. I understand what our students must do to be competitive, both as they graduate from Plano schools and apply to colleges and as they enter the global workforce and compete with students from other nations…”

Plano ISD, Place 2

Amanda Jackson

“My motive for running for Plano ISD Board of Trustees is love- love of God, love of children, and love of education. I truly desire to simply use my talents, education, and abilities to better the lives of others and my community. I am a strong asset to our educational system and will make educated, data-driven decisions. What sets me apart from my opponents is my dedication and commitment to public education, combined with my abilities and training that enable me to come ready to work. I have more experience spanning a wider range of areas/programs in Texas public education both in my professional career and as a volunteer than my opponents. For example, I have worked for AVID (central region), have at one time or another taught students from elementary age to college age (in Texas public schools), prepared students for AP and GED exams, personally attended an academy high school where I was a PAL mentor, and have been an ESL instructor. I also am married to a teacher and coach in his fourteenth year of service in Texas public education. I understand Texas public education from first-hand experience and through my formal education. I can weigh issues objectively and am quick to notice possible unintended consequences of policy decisions,” Amanda told Dallas Morning News.

Angela Powell

“I am running for PISD Board of Trustees, Place 2, because I want to help make PISD the best ISD in our state. Our children are our future and I want that future to be bright,” Angela told Dallas Morning News.

Jack Liu

“I run for this office is because I think I should do something to serve the community. I have been thinking about this for a long time. But when the kids are young, I have to spent lot of time for kids activity. Now my youngest child is in college, I have more free time. I would like the focus on the education quality of PISD. Although the Plano schools have been doing well, lot of the students have to take private tutoring in order to get good grade. I think this is not right. If the school provide good education, the students should not need to take private tutoring classes,” Jack told Dallas Morning News.

Sreedhar “Sree” Yedavalli (no response)

Plano ISD, Place 3

Nancy Humphrey

Nancy told Dallas Morning News, “I am committed to serving our community. I believe it is my calling to use my skills and developed expertise to serve as a Trustee for the Plano ISD Board of Trustees. I am honored to have had the privilege to serve the students and families of Plano ISD. I believe students hold the future of our world in their hands, and I desire to help our district deliver an education that will provide them with the opportunities to reach their full potential. I want to help our district meet its mission of providing an excellent education to each student and meet the goals to ensure continued improvement in student learning and ensure efficient uses of financial resources.”

Nathan Rylander

“I have chosen to run for the Plano ISD Board of Trustees, Place 3 because I am dissatisfied with some of the decisions being made, the frivolous way taxes are being spent, the lack of accountability of the administration, and the culture of unresponsiveness by most of the board of trustees to the voices of parents, taxpayers, and teachers. I am running because I am not one to sit idly by when there is a problem. My opponent has been a trustee for 7 years and no longer has children in Plano ISD. My children are in second grade and fourth grade and I have more skin in the game,” Nathan told Dallas Morning News.

Yvette Jackson (no response)

Plano ISD, Place 6

Marilyn Hinton

“I have been on the Board for eight years. We have a relatively new superintendent who we hired to move our district in a new direction. I am the only one on the Board with a Masters in Education and a former PISD teacher. I feel my contributions to the Board have been significant. I also have no other job nor other full-time commitments,” Marilyn told Dallas Morning News.

Greg Myer

“My children will graduate from Plano ISD in 2018. I know they have received a very good education. I am running to make certain that that Plano ISD’s next generation of children get an even better education than my children have received. I will push the Administration to improve Plano ISD, especially in the areas of programming and options for students who do not plan to attend college and students with special needs,” Greg told Dallas Morning News.

Trish Patterson

“I am running for Plano School Board Place 6 because I feel I can make a greater impact and effect greater change being at the table with the decision makers.I am candidate who cares about our community, taking purposeful action to affect change both now in the future. My experience working in our district has given me countless opportunities to help our students. I recall being in a long term position at the alternative school and seeing that these students were floundering as what to do next. I convinced the principal to allow me to create a FAFSA completing class for those students who were about to graduate. In this class, students participated in an essay writing seminar, building their confidence about writing and submitting scholarship essays. I also helped organize efforts to register students who were of age to vote.What differentiates me as a candidate is the courage to take meaningful action, with guidance from our educators, our parents, and my belief in a high-quality education for all students, ” Trish told Dallas Morning News.

Cori Baker is the creative editor at Plano Profile where she is a writer, a social media coordinator and the staff photographer. She is an alumna of Plano Senior High School and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's in Journalism and a minor in business.

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